Maatua Whāngai

The 'Maatua Whāngai Programme' a component of the former NZ social welfare service, no longer exists. However the kaupapa of Maatua Whāngai continues to guide and inspire our mahi today as we continue to work with rangatahi and whānau, and we remain affectionately known as Maatua Whāngai here in Rotorua.

Concept

Maatua Whāngai - by definition - is a traditional Māori nurturing concept. The model of Maatua Whāngai has roots within ﻿traditional Māori society﻿. The child or young person in need of alternative care was placed within the context of her/his extended whānau. The personal responsibility for Māori to care for our own still exists today.

History

The Maatua Whāngai Programme officially began it's journey in 1983 as part of the existing Dept of Social Welfare. The initial aims were to provide alternative options of Māori foster care for Māori children. Te Roopu a Iwi o Te Arawa Charitable Trust was one of several Māori organisations that embraced the programme and its values and philosophy in the late 1980s. With government changes and shifts in social policy trends, the Maatua Whāngai programme was eventually disestablished by government in 1992. However, its values are woven into this organisation's fabric, and the name 'Maatua Whāngai' is still synonymous with Te Roopu a Iwi o Te Arawa Charitable Trust.